The Pasture Pod

Does pasture pump you up? Do you enjoy a lot of cheeking farming chat? If so this podcast is for you (caveat: this does not represent a guarantee or contract; terms and conditions apply). We talk to farmers about their drive, motivation and how they make profit. Spoiled by the host trying too hard to be funny.

Episode 11 - Liz GeneverBorn and raised on the right side of the Fen and far enough away from the smell of cabbages in Lincolnshire, Liz Genever grew up to be a significant driver of knowledge transfer in England. After a number of years with AHDB Beef & Lamb she has left and become an independent consultant.
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Episode 10 - Michael ShannonRecorded over two sittings, Michael talks for a long time about how excited he is about grass. He tends not to let me talk, which is obviously beneficial. 3+ hours sounds a long time but Michael is an interesting and semi amusing person :0 I referred to Michael as the Grandfather of Rotational Grazing in Scotland in the introduction. That's very unfair as he's only a couple of years older than me - and I'm very young!! I think a more appropriate moniker should be Godfather - a bit like James Brown but with a higher pitched voice and less impressive dance moves. Bottom line is, he was a pioneer in Scotland and though I wouldn't admit it to his face, probably should have a statue in his honour. Preferably relatively close to me so I can deface it regularly. We are taken on a journey from Northern Ireland to the seed trade in Scotland to Lanarkshire to what is now definitely "home" and the base for https://www.damndelicious.co.uk/ The theme tune is restricted to just over a minute at the start but for personal safety reasons I have to warn you its repeated in its full 5 minute glory at the end - stay safe and don't have nightmares /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/8889482

Episode 9 - LILIS conferenceA break from the norm. I interview a number of people all in one - shorter - podcast. Recorded in the Summer of 2018 with background noise loud enough to be irritating, this was the Livestock in Low Input Systems (LILIS) conference. I went around and, like a man desperate for friends, tried to make conversation with people. I laughed awkwardly and those that didn't run away felt sorry enough for me to give me their time./episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/8341088

Episode 8 - Doug AveryRecorded at the beginning of October 2018. Doug tells his story through the valleys and peaks of his farming life. He was at the end of a significant tour of Scotland, having spoken to over 2000 people over a little under 4 weeks. Thanks to John Scott, the RSABI and the RHASS for initiating and implementing the idea. They wanted to start a conversation about mindset and how we can deal positively with the challenges of this season and those still to come in the near future. Doug's book can be found here Spencer Johnson's book on peaks and valleys can be found here /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/7521098

Episode 7 - Neil McGowanNeil talks breeding and breeders; markets and marketing, pedigrees and that little ounce of breeding. How science meets art in what he does./episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/6951046

Episode 6 - Andre van BarneveldRecorded the night before the LILIS conference in June 2018 at Barnside Farm, Duns. Charley Walker plied us with beer and whisky and we still managed to form words with our mouths. Are you output driven or profit driven? What are the key things that drive your business? What angle is your wedge? Andre van Barneveld (not the darts player) is a Dutch born, Kiwi grown, Irish based pasture consultant primarily concentrating on Dairy but is also awesome at beef cattle and sheep. He built a significant dairy business when in NZ but love has brought him to Ireland. There are a variety of swear words mostly in English but also in Dutch. You can read Andre's brilliant articles on Facebook at Graise Consultancy or follow him on Twitter @graiseconsult1 I forgot to put it in the audio but thanks again to Robert Gilchrist - my handler - for editorial support. /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/6793711

Episode 5 Part 2 - Team WalkerWhat is an Askhole? How long is Charley's telescopic pole? [Spoiler: 7 feet fully when extended] Is it really possible for pasture chat to get this riveting? All these questions and more will be answered in this edition.
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Episode 5 Part 1 - Team WalkerCharley and Andrea Walker tell us about their story - from having no farm to 250Ha, 800 ewes, 90 cows and A LOT of paddocks. We also learn about Charleys' character flaws and his obsession with burning daylight. Plus what it's like to be a woman who drives a JCB Fastrack so well that most of the truckers in the East Midlands know you. This is Part 1 of a two part Episode. Part 2 features more intensive pasture chat. For any Integrated Land Management Plan enquiries contact Michael at mwdblanche@gmail.com /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/6200910

Episode 4 - Trevor CookTrevor is one of the people I've learnt most from in agriculture. He became a cult hero during the QMS Grazing Group project and still comes back to the UK twice a year. He has this rare clarity of thought and expression. In this conversation we talk a bit about him and how he got to where he did. A bit about how he feels during a farm visit. A bit about vowel pronunciation. And a lot on profitable cattle and sheep systems. All done whilst we are both in pyjamas just like Morecambe and Wise. He didn't ask me to do this but if you are keen to get him out onto your farm on his next visit to the UK his email is Trevor.Cook@tvg.co.nz /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/5969085

Episode 3 - Charlie RussellCharlie comes clean about his addiction to restaurant table decoration consumption and the parallels his friendships have with the homo-erotic "He Man - Masters of the Universe".
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Episode 2 - Robert FlemingRobert talks of the difficulties of living in the Wigtownshire Riviera - including sunburn in March, palm tree maintenance and not being able to sledge in winter. We talk about how he's increased the kilos of liveweight since he's concentrated on his soils and started paddock grazing. He's doubled output per hectare. He describes a trial on 6 hectares that opens gigantic possibilities of what could be done with pasture. On his Nuffield he explains how he talked about farts without sniggering. We also talk about semen but not in a bad way. /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/5641387

Episode 1 - John ScottJohn tells of his views on: how many testicles a bull should have; boys names for the first born in the Scott family and much, much more. Like a lot more - it goes on for ages! The Fearn Farm "Great from Grass" ram sale is on Friday the 25th August 2017. You can follow John on Twitter @FearnFarm The Pasture Pod Rap / Theme Tune: Lead beats performed by MC Swardstick featuring David Cameron; Bass performed by Calum Blanche; Cheeky Chat performed by Keres Blanche; Backing Vocals performed by Jessica, Kate and Keres Blanche. Seamas Blanche was the only member of the family not to be involved and he has been made aware of the disappointment this has caused. Conversation breaks jingle: Keres Blanche on lead vocals and ukulele /episode/index/show/thepasturepod/id/5473442